


falling with you

by Allypromise



Category: Stranger Things (TV 2016)
Genre: A Shit Ton - Freeform, F/M, Fluff, Fluffy Ending, Sorry can't help it, Tooth-Rotting Fluff, basically el experiences all the autumn festivites, complete fluff, he really loves her, i needed to write something autumn based even tho september just started, mike wants to give her everything she never had, new experiences, so much mileven, so you better call your dentist, they are soulmates and this writing is out of my hands, this is a love letter to fall
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-09-08
Updated: 2018-09-08
Packaged: 2019-07-08 17:19:59
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,624
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15934910
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Allypromise/pseuds/Allypromise
Summary: el experiences her first fall and everything that comes with it





	falling with you

**Author's Note:**

  * For [hawkins_bound](https://archiveofourown.org/users/hawkins_bound/gifts).



> hope you enjoy this! i miss my kids

Autumn 

A word that el has heard more than a handful of times since school has started. She’s also heard the word “fall” but she prefers autumn. Autumn is more dramatic and beautiful plus mike told her it was his favorite season and he is just as beautiful.

She didn’t quite understand until she eventually saw how the same tree that lucas taught her how to climb, the one that she spent all summer in the protective shade from the sweltering summer heat, look as if it was deteriorating in front of her eyes 

“Mike, is that tree dying” el said, he could hear the despair in her voice and knew he couldn’t stand let her feel anymore sadness than she already has.

“Well kinda” he said until he saw her face drop and lip pout, “but it will be back” mike gave her a smile and grasped her hand into his to ease her.

“So it’s not dead” el tilted her head in confusion, how could one thing be considered gone but come back. 

“Well” mike scratched his head, wondering how to explain this, “well seasons change and come and go. Sometimes plants just go along with it” mike explained without giving her the whole science lesson of plant cycles 

“Oh” el nodded in head in understanding.

“I’m going to miss them” el sighed. “I know but they will come back but until then i know something we can do” 

El felt melancholy. A word that she just learned from the dictionary hop bought her since she was taking her first steps of being a normal teenage girl, by going to school.

School wasn’t actually as bad as the characters on her favorite shows led her to believe or to be perfectly honest, what dustin led her believe after telling her horror stories of times he embarrassed himself over the years. --( the time he tripped over jennifer luddson and flung himself into girls mash potatoes in the cafeteria)

‘Worst thing to ever happen to me ever and don’t even get me started on the nickname” dustin sneered. “How can we forget about ‘ol tatters gratters “ lucas chuckled resulting in a punch from dustin. 

So far high school hasn’t been that bad but it was only autumn. A part of her feels like the reason that it hasn’t been so overwhelming is because of mike.

Mike who was the one to take el to every class and not leave her side until she gave him a queue. The one who studied all through summer so that they could be in ninth grade together.

She wouldn’t know what she would do without him. During summer, a fear that pushed her to study more and want to reach the same point as her friends- educational had been for the fear that if she didn’t attend high school with her friends, she could be push back and forgotten

“There are many pretty girls in high school “el had thought but mike had quickly push that mere idea out of her head. She still remembers the sincere look he had when he told her that nobody could replace her.

The thought eased her but she still wanted to attend high school with her friend’s like she saw on television or movies. 

Watching movies like the breakfast club only heightened her expectations but she had yet to do anything as thrilling with her friends as the breakfast club had shown but she had still enjoyed it.

Being assigned new books to read and seeing mike and everybody at lunch. Everything was starting to feel normal 

Everything was new and different. This was her first fall ever that she was free.

Free to experience the leaves falling like mike had told her, halloween night that was filled with creative costumes and tooth-rotting candy or the annual november autumnal bash 

She was going to experience everything she could.

But at the moment, she wasn’t participating in the autumn festivities. She was laying upside down on her bed, curls cover her entire face as mike studied.

She raised up a little and blew her curls out of her sight so she could see the lovely sight of mike, who was chomping on the end of his pencil in frustration. she couldn’t help but to think about how cute he looked. 

His midnight mop of hair going every direction, his forehead scrunched up in a way that made el feel light inside. Cute, cute, cute. But nothing compared to the feeling of when he looked up at her and all the frustration left and all that she saw was his dopey soft eyes looking back at her.

“What are you looking at?” mike asked, face still scrunched in confusion and curiosity. 

El shrugged, “ i’m bored and it’s fun to see how cute you look when you study” el commented nonchalantly

Mike gave a bashful smile as he gave her a sideways look. Redness creeping up his face. “Really?” mike questioned as if him being in sorts of cute was the farthest truth. 

“About me being bored or you being cute” el giggled, “because i’d say both, both, both”

Mike shook his head, “well if you’d stop being so distracting, i could actually finish and we’d be able to do something” 

“Okay i’ll stop being distracting but after you finish, we have to go outside and do something okay” el nodded

“Okay” mike said, halfway knowing that there was a 0% chance of him falling through with the whole “not getting distracted” thing. Mike was very focused, just on the wrong thing. 

It really was no use when he looked down at his book but all he saw was el. 

“Alright let’s go” mike finally said as el let out a dramatic sigh. “I knew you’d come around” el jumped up and planted a kiss on mike’s still very red cheek that lit under her touch.

“I know what we can do” 

El took Mike's hand as he grabbed a rake and started shuffling the leaves around that fell onto the dried up ground.

The colorful leaves bringing back life into the dead ground. Splotches of red,orange,yellow and brown covering the spikey grass 

El arched an eyebrow, eyeing as mike finished piling the leaves into a large pile.

Pretty was the word she thought of 

“okay done” mike said, throwing the rake out of the way

“what?” el questioned, what was she missing. All she saw was a large pile off fallen leaves.

“your going to jump into them” mike told her which didn't clear her confusion

“but why” 

Mike didn't answer. No. In a swift motion he gently picked up el as el couldn't help but giggle and tossed her lightly into the leaf pile. Colors going everywhere. 

El noticed how mike was tossing them in the air, watching as all the colors came flying down and followed. Giggling as she threw the leaves into Mike's face and watching as his face lit up. 

They stayed outside throwing leaves at each other until el felt completely out of energy.

They both layed down into the pile, holding onto each others hands as they looked up at the clouds.

Feelings of pure bliss as she laid in the early autumn breeze and Mike's hand in hers.

That moment redeeming every other autumn day before that she couldn't enjoy. Now being able to spend it with the most important person in her life.  
-  
-  
She's always heard about Halloween.

The year before she heard about an upcoming halloween special filled with witches, goblins and ghouls.

People celebrating being different.

She watched as the kids on tv dressed up in all sorts of costumes and knocked on doors for candy.

Then she only got to experience it through a glass screen but this year was going to be different so she was told by hopper 

Mike had helped her beg hopper to let her out and after he finally said yes (but only if she was back by 11 of course) joyce had volunteered to make her a costume of her choice. Joyce was like a mother and it filled her heart that joyce cared that much. Thinking about how good of a mother joyce is made her mind wander-- how good she would be with hop but she ignored the thought so that she wouldn’t give in to such an incredible thought and get her hopes up.

After perplexing what she wanted to be, which was not very easy seeing as it was her first halloween ever. She decided that she wanted to be a fairy, fairies had magical powers just like she did but they always used them for good like how she wanted to.

The idea was perfect and she lit up at the idea. She could hardly keep her hands off the costume but joyce had told her to be careful with it so she waited until halloween night.

Once the clock hit seven, el rushed to her room and slipped on the soft pink costume with it’s assembled pink glittery wings. The whole costume was perfect! The soft pink camisole that was attached to the flowing tulle skirt made her feel all so elegant like a princess.

The dress felt like a amped up version of the first real dress she ever wore making her feel warm inside as she thought back to that day. Of course it wasn’t perfect but it was hers. Her first-ever dress

She took some purple eyeshadow, the same one that she used at the snowball and remembered how nancy taught her to apply makeup. “little goes a long way” nancy had told her and it was true even though she loved playing with all the different colors.

She heard a knock on the door as hopper left out a grunt, “hey kid, your friends are here”

“Okay i’m coming” el couldn’t help but feel giddy as she leaped out the door and saw all her friends waiting.

Max was dressed up as michael myers which she said was a classic from some horror movie that max always talked about. Lucas was dressed up as indiana jones, equipped with a whip and everything, dustin was dressed up as a clown which she overheard max saying that he didn't even need to dress up and will was dressed up as a wizard which she thought fitted with perfectly since he was a cleric 

And mike. Mike was dressed up as han solo but he could of fooled her because he looked more like a prince. A prince with a blastergun

He looked like han solo down to every impeccable detail. 

She wondered how he liked her costume but she didn’t need to wonder for long as she saw mike’s mouth basically drop. “You look really really pretty el” mike garbled 

El grinned as max chuckled, “smooth one romeo” causing everyone to laugh including hopper causing mike to break into a blush. But el didn’t really laugh, she felt butterflies and she put her hand into mike’s.

“Thanks, you look good too” el smiled as mike’s face turned into a huge grin. 

“Okay ew, i thought we were suppose to be getting our sugar high on instead of listening to you guys be mushy like usual” max snarked 

“Let’s go” will chimed in as they marched out of the house and into the halloween trick or treat street traffic.

Kids all around, dressed up in all sorts of different costumes. It was a little overwhelming but she felt calmer since mike grabbed her hand. 

“You okay” mike asked. She gave a nod as she listened to dustin give his spill. “Okay so we're going to be hitting up Lincoln ave. first because obviously rich people give a shit ton of candy and we’re not leaving til i get at least one king size candy bar” dustin finished 

“Okay let’s go” max led through the crowded streets

They went strong going door to door for 3 solid hours before dustin started whining

“My feet hurt” dustin wailed.

“Your the one who wanted to where those ugly as shit clown shoes” lucas reminded

“They completed the look” he argued.”i’m tired and my blisters have blisters”

“ if we knew you were going to whine this much, we would have ditched you two blocks down” max grinned and chuckled. “Haha laugh at my pain why don’t ya” dustin said coldy 

“We might as well go, i told my mom that i would be back by 10:30” will said, as mike nodded, “yeah we better go”

“Your just scared of your girlfriend’s dad” lucas scoffed, “n-no i’m not, i just think we should be late that’s all” mike mumbled the last part

“Sure mikey, but don’t act like you didn’t piss your pants when he caught you guys sucking face last weekend” dustin smirked as everybody boomed laughing even el who was caught giggling 

Mike’s face was brighter than dustin’s clown nose as he rolled his eyes, “okay never call me mikey again and how do you even know”

“Word gets around mikey” dustin patted mike on the shoulder. “And hopper told my mom and she told me” will added 

“Will! you snitched” mike shook his head

Will shrugged, “he was in the room plus it’s not like you guys even hide it”

“Okay enough of this lets go home while dustin can still walk” mike huffed.

They all walked each other back until it was just mike and el. “Do you want me to carry your bag” mike offered 

El shook her head as she looked around. They were close enough to her house where they were surrounded by trees so nobody could see them. She paused a moment before he bag of candy was floating in the air. 

Mike accidently let out a gasp as she watched the bag floated in the air. El never cease to amaze him. “Wow. your getting good at it”

El shrugged, “it takes practice but i think i’m getting better”

“I had fun with you tonight” mike glanced over, “i really wanted tonight to be great, i know it was your first time trick or treating and i’m sorry we didn’t really get to talk”

“Are you suppose to” el asked, “well no but i don’t know i just wanted tonight to be memorable” mike said looking down to the ground.

El nudged him until he looked up, “it was amazing mike and it would of happened without you”

Mike was about to object when el leaned into a kiss. Her sparkly lip gloss spreading onto his as he reciprocated the kiss. The strawberry taste lingering on his lips, the kiss wasn’t long but it had quite the effect as mike felt his heart thump and felt as if he was about to burst from pure happiness.

Nobody had an effect on him like she had, emptying every thought that previously ran through his mind. She brought him peace as he did for her

As the kiss ended they just stood in front of each other with drunken smiles. The sugar rush he currently was on could explain why his heart sped through his chest but he knew better, looking down at her playing with the fabric of her skirt. She was so beautiful. A word that he couldn’t use enough 

“Thanks” mike said, his goofy grin still displaying 

“Thanks for taking me out trick or treating” el spoke turning away but not before placing a heart shaped piece of chocolate in the palm of his hand and placing a quick kiss on his cheek

“Happy Halloween mike”

 

-  
Autumn was fleeting by and everyone could feel it, everyone trading in for sweaters and coats. Winter was on its way but everybody was hanging onto fall’s last few weeks. 

November was coming to a close, bringing the thanksgiving buzz to hawkins. Everyone was either buying a turkey or traveling outside of town to visit estranged family.

El had planned to visit her mother and aunt becky but she didn’t plan to see them til later in the evening leaving her whole afternoon to visit mike.

Mike had invited to thanksgiving a couple weeks prior, telling her how his mom always made a big deal with turkey, dressing and all the thanksgiving fixings. She begged hop to let her go until he finally agreed to take her. She noticed how he quickly agreed after she mentioned joyce would be there with will but he insisted that he was only doing it for the free food.

She was thrilled to see what a real thanksgiving dinner or more like lunch was like. Loved ones surrounding you while you ate til you couldn’t eat anymore.

Hop helped her make a casserole and she dressed in the nicest dress she owned. A lavender skater dress that had white daisies speckled along the skirt. She did a final brush through her curl before she headed out.

After the short ride from the cabin to mike’s house she jumped out from the truck and made her way along the driveway. She noticed all the lifestive decor that mrs. wheeler put out including a colorful wreath decorated with acorns and assorted faux leaves.

“We should put decorations out, is that what people do?” el looked up and asked hopper

“If you want to, sure we can do that kid” hopper nodded as he knocked on the door. She half expected mrs. wheeler to open the door like how she did every other time she came over but instead she was welcomed by a grumpy looking mike, wearing a suit and matching tie. She also noticed how his hair wasn’t curly as normal.

His face completely changed as he saw el, his grumpy exterior melting away by the second

“El, you came” mike sounded relieved as if he thought she wasn’t going to show up. “Of course, you invited me and i’d never miss it” they wrapped into a hug. Ignoring hopper rolling his eyes.

“I know you kids missed each other from y’know the two days spent a part but i have a scorching casserole dish in my hands so if you could do it over there” hop grumbled

The two made their way to the basement as hop called after, “and keep your hands to yourself wheeler”.

“You look really pretty today, i mean you always look pretty” mike rambled

El started to return the compliment but was stopped by a loud huddle of noise. dustin , lucas, will and max came rushing down

“Happy turkey day” dustin shouted 

“Happy thanksgiving” will and lucas both said as max smirked, “did we interrupt something”

“No, we were just talking” mike shrugged

“Sure” max winked, “anyways your mom had us come and get you so we can eat so let’s go because i’m starving” max groaned

“We ate breakfast like three hours ago” lucas retorted and max patted her stomach, “yet my stomach is still growling so let’s go”

They all went upstairs and ate til they couldn’t chew another bite. She smiled when she saw the nice platter in the middle of the table stacked with eggo waffles.

Will and el get picked for the wishbone and el won giving her a wish.

She couldn’t think of anything else she needed, she had a family and it was perfect even after dinner when she had to listen to dustin make fart noises. It was her idea of perfect 

After lunch, everybody went on their own way. Nancy left with jonathan, joyce and hopper were still at the table talking which el noticed how they were subtly getting closer as they sat joking with each other and everybody in the party went in the basement to play D&D

D&D didn’t really make any sense to her but she loved hearing “mage” so she played where she could but mostly just observed. After 3 hours of nonstop playing will had to leave and after him, everybody else except her and obviously mike because it was his house

“El come on, we better get home” she heard hopper yell from the top of the staircase

“Coming” she quickly answered as she turned back to mike. “Thank you for inviting me mike” el hummed

“Oh no problem, i’m glad you came” he smiled

“Well i’ll see you later” el started for the stairs until mike reached for her wrist, “i was wondering if you wanted to go to the carnival?” mike asked, nervousness filling his voice

“Aren’t we all going to go?” el questioned, mike scratched the top of his head, “well yeah but i was thinking maybe the next day we could just go, you know just the two of us”

A date, “i’d love to mike” she gave a huge grin, “oh alright cool, bye el”  
“Bye mike”

Her smile stayed on her lips all the way to the car. A date. She was going on a date with mike wheeler. The sentence made her heart jumped and after she buckled up, hopper gave her a questionable look

“Why do you look so happy” hopper arched an eyebrow knowing that it wasn’t just the crazy amount of cookies she ate after lunch.

“Nothing” el shrugged but not letting go of her grin just yet. Hopper let her by without answering, knowing he would hear about it eventually and he did just that 

 

 

The following saturday when mike impatiently knocked on the door. 

He didn’t know why he was so shitting gittery. He’s taken el on a bunch of dates but they were more of hangouts with the rest of the party. This would be just him taking her to a carnival. Just her and him and he was actually nervous about it. 

There was no reason for him to but when el was in the equation, his feelings never made sense. He felt as if his foot was tapping a hundred beats a minute. Calm down 

He bolted up as she saw the door open wide as the face of a grimacing hopper answered 

“So son, what’s your intentions with my daughter” hopper said, holding back a chuckle 

“Very funny” mike said flatly, “do you know where el is” 

“She’s coming don’t worry but i’m telling you once, if anything happens to her your ass is going to be grass” hoppers face turned slightly more serious but it was just enough to stick all the hairs on mike’s neck up 

“Yes sir” he swallowed, “i’d never let anything happen” 

Yeah i kinda got that by now but i’m just letting you know”, after that they sat in incredibly awkward silence into el came galloping in. thank god, mike thought 

“Mike” el squealed, “ready to go” 

“Yeah” mike followed her out the door but not without mike noticing hopper giving him the “i’m watching you” look or more like death stare. 

Mike rode them both to the carnival on his bike and bought them each enough tickets to last them. Even though el had been the day before, her fast still lit up as it was her first time<

Trying to take in all the sights of the rides around her and the sweet unmistakable smell of a cloud like substance that she later found out was called “cotton candy”. Out of all the treats she tried, cotton candy was no doubt her favorite 

Mike took noticed, “do you want some cotton candy” he asked el as she enthusiastically nodded her head, “the pink one” 

He bought her a sack full knowing they probably couldn’t eat it all and most likely couldn’t ride the tilt-o-whirl if they ate all of it 

They walked around carnival playing knock off tricked games til mike finally won el the large stuffed pumpkin he had an eye on (maybe a little supernatural help but she hoped mike didn’t notice) and every non extreme rides they could find. They learned the day before that el was not a fan of rollercoasters 

They were reaching the end of the carnival, the only thing that was left was a couple carnival concessions, some benches and the ferris wheel 

The ferris wheel was beaming with bright yellow and white bulbs and so tall that you could probably see the entire hawkin’s area. 

El looked up with gleaming eyes, “do you want to go on it” mike asked 

El felt her stomach turning in knots. On one side the ferris wheel looked fun and on the other side it was deathly high. She looked conflicted, “i’ll be right there with you” mike grabbed her hand, easing her as she nodded and followed 

“two tickets each “ the carny told everyone in line, the guy had a blonde mullet and piercings along his earlob. He looked like an average carnival worker,”next” the guy announced trying to speed up the line 

El tightened her hold on mike’s hand as they both seated on the neon colored seat, squishing them both in. the booth barely left any personal space so they were squashed together, not they either of them minded 

The ride went halfway up before el let out a shiver, “um are you cold el” 

She nodded,”but i’m okay” - it was late november so it started getting both darker and a lot cooler early then usual 

“No your cold” mike took of his jacket and draped it over el’s shoulders 

“But now your cold” she frowned before moving closer so she could lay the blanket onto both of them 

Mike wasn’t that big so the jacket didn’t really do much but it was the sentiment that counts, he sighed into her hair as the ferris wheel went around in circles. He felt so content just being with her snuggled up in the sky. 

He felt as if nobody could disturb them and if everybody fell from the edge of the earth he wouldn’t even be able to tell. It was just them 

He signaled for the guy to go around a few more times, but instead the blonde mullet just mocked kissing faces until mike flipped him off. Taking their last spin 

“Ready to go” mike asked with el nodding a reply 

They finally arrived to the cabin, it wasn’t too late but the cloudy sky made it seem later than it really was. “I had fun el” mike smiled down to her. 

She used to hate how tall he was but now she finds it more nice, always having a tall shoulder to rest her head on. “I did too” she really did, her first time at the carnival was new and exciting but somehow today was even better 

Then it was quiet, that same quiet that occurred every time someone left the room. Like they were both waiting for something to happen before it did. The calm before a storm. Not a bad kind but a very anticipated moment 

“I love you mike” el said in the complete silence, she felt a moment of regret for how sudden it was but she knew it was right, she felt it and it showed on mike’s face as all his emotions flickered through his expression 

“I love you too el” mike smiled for what felt like the hundredth time today. You'd think his cheek muscles would wear out for how much he smiled  
He placed a sweet kiss on her lips, explains everything that he was too nervous to say, they just stayed staring at each other in dazy smiles until el had to eventually walk inside 

This was a season of first’s: first halloween, first thanksgiving and first i love you’s 

She could agree with mike, autumn was her favorite season. 

**Author's Note:**

> comments are appreciated! xoxo


End file.
